1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to computer generated images, and particularing to a method of dynamically applying texture to achieve the appearance of natural motion in a static scene.
2. Description of Related Art
There are a variety of applications in which it would be desirable to provide motion in a static scene of a video or computer graphic image. For example, the ability to introduce realistic smoke plumes or fire effects to an image would be useful in fields which are diverse as entertainment, military, commercial and scientific industries. Nevertheless, prior attempts to introduce fluid or other dynamic effects to an image required the use of animation or linearly moving texture to simulate motion in a static scene. In this regard, it is well known that animation techniques are very memory intensive. Additionally, linear motion texture effects provide an unnatural image, as fluid effects have decidedly non-linear qualities.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a method of providing a high degree of realism through fluid effect illusions which does not require substantial texture memory or rely on linear movements.